Excavation shoring devices



Jan. 26, 1960 F. s. PORTER EXCAVATION SHORING DEVICES Filed May 19, 1958INVENTOR.

FRED S. PORTER t m dlinr 5 United States Patent M EXCAVATION SHORINGDEVICES Fred S. Porter,'Taber, Alberta, Canada Application May 19, 1958,Serial No. 736,130 1 Claim. ;(Cl. 61-.41) i V This invention relates toa shoring deviceor unitfor pipe line excavations and has for itsprincipal object the provision of a shoring unit which can behydraulically expanded and contracted to accommodate excavations ofvarying width; to provide a unit in which the sides may be hydraulicallyrocked and tilted to loosen the unit from the side Walls of theexcavation so that it may be quickly and easily withdrawn; and to soconstruct the shoring unit that a plurality of units may be superimposedupon each other to accommodate exceedingly deep excavations. i Otherobjects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efliciency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numeralsrefer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved shoring unit in a partiallyexpanded condition;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section therethrough; and

Fig. 3 illustrates the unit as it would appear lifted from place in anexcavation.

In Fig. 3, the side walls of an excavation are indicated at 11, thebottom thereof at 12, and the ground line at 10.

The improved shoring unit comprises two similar horizontally-elongatedsheet metal side plates 13 and 14. A horizontal reinforcing tube 15 iswelded to, and extends longitudinally of, the side plate 13. A similarreinforcing tube 16 is similarly welded to, and extends longitudinallyof, the side plate 14. The reinforcing tubes 15 and 16 are positionedmedially of the side plates and project at their extremities oppositelyoutward beyond the end of the plates. A plurality of vertical stiffeningbraces 17 are horizontally spaced along the side plate 13 and aplurality of similar vertical stiflening braces 18 are horizontallyspaced along the side plate 14. The stiffening braces may be of anydesired cross-section but are preferably formed from hollow square metaltubing bent in a flat V-shape so that they will cross the reinforcingtubes 15 and 16 on the inside of the latter and extend outwardly attheir extremities to the planes of the side plates. The stiffeningbraces are welded to the reinforcing tubes and to the side plates.

The upper and lower edges of the side plate 13 are turned inwardly overthe extremities of the stiffening braces 17 to form top and bottomflanges 19. The upper and lower edges of the plate 14 are similarlyturned inwardly to form top and bottom flanges 20. A mediallybentprotecting plate 22 extends between the flanges 20 and over the surfaceof the stiffening braces 18.

The structural elements 13, '15, 17, 19 and 21 are all rigidly weldedtogether to form a complete first side I Patented Jan. 26, 1960 ICE , 2wall member of the improved shoring device and the members 14, 16, 18,'and'22 are similarly rigidly welded together to format complete secondside wall member of the improved shoring device. The two side membersare adjustably connected together at their extremities by 'meansofextensible cross members. Each cross member comprises an outertelescoping tube 23 into which an inner telescoping tube 24 is slidablyfitted. Each outer tube 23 projects from a first tube sleeve 25 and eachof the inner tubes 24 projects from a similar second tube'sleeve 26. The first tube sleeves 25 are movably fitted overthe projectingextremities of, the reinforcing tube 151 and each sleeve can be lockedagainst rotation on thetHbe i-I'S byineans of a first locking pin 27which canbei-iiiserted through thesleeve 25 andjthe tube 15. Eacli ofthe second sleeves 26 is similarly movably fitted over the projectingextremities of the reinforcing tube 16 and each can be locked againstrotation thereon by. means of, a second locking pin 28. Each inner tube24 eanbe locked at any. desired longitudinal position in its surroundingouter tube 23 by means of a I An upperihydiaulic cylinder 31 is. mountedon an upper hinge pin 32 in the upper extremitybf the terminalstiflening brace 18 at each extremity of the side plate 14 and ahydraulic plunger 33 extends from each upper hydraulic cylinder 31 to anupper hinge pin 34 in the upper extremity of the terminal stiffeningbrace 17 of the opposite side plate 13. A similar lower hydrauliccylinder 35 extends from a lower hinge pin 36 adjacent the lowerextremity of each terminal stiflening brace 17 and a lower hydraulicplunger 37 extends from each lower hydraulic cylinder 35 to a lowerhinge pin 38 adjacent the lower extremity of each terminal'stifieningbrace 17.

The hydraulic cylinders and their plungers provide an upper and a lowerhydraulically expansible device at each extremity ofthe shoring unit.The hydraulic cylinders 31 and 35 are of the double-acting variety andeach is supplied with hydraulic fluid from fluid feed pipes 39positioned between the plates 14 and 22 through the medium of suitablehydraulic hoses 40. Hydraulic fluid is fed to the feed pipes 39 from anysuitable adjacent hydraulic pump and hydraulic hoses (not shown) as iscustomary with hydraulically operated equipment.

A hanger member 41 extends upwardly from the inner edge and at eachextremity of the upper flange 20 and a similar hanger member 42 extendsupwardly from the inner edge of each extremity of the upper flange 19.The hanger members 41 and 42 are adapted to receive hoisting chains 43extending from any suitable hoist apparatus 44.

In use, the complete unit is lowered into the excavation until the lowerflanges 19 and 20 rest upon the excavation bottom 12. The third lockingpins 29 are then removed and hydraulic fluid is simultaneouslyintroduced into all of the hydraulic cylinders 31 and 35 to force thetwo side members of the shoring device oppositely outward to bring theside plates 13 and 14 tightly against the side walls 11 of theexcavation. If the excavation is to be continued downwardly, the entiredevice is allowed to descend as the bottom 12 is lowered and ifnecessary, a second shoring unit is positioned on top of the first unitso that it will be held in alignment therewith by the upstanding hangermembers 41 and 42.

The side plates can be hydraulically brought against the wall 11 withany desired pressure and when the desired separation has been reached,the third locking pins 3 29 are placed in position so that the use ofthe hydraulic fluid can be discontinued.

When the use for the excavation has been completed, all of the lockingpinst27, Z8 and 29' can be withdrawn to provide a completely flexibleunit. 'Hydraulicfluid can then bealternately admitted to the uppercylinders 31 and the lower cylinders35 to rock or tilt the .side platesback and forth about the axes of the tubes 15 and 16 so as to loosenthem from the sidewalls of theexcavation. The device can then behydraulically collapsed to the position of Fig. 3 and quicklylifted fromthe excavation. 7

Should an accidental cave-in occur whichtmight bury the shoring device,all of the locking pins and pivot pins may be withdrawn to completelyseparate the side wall. Should the excavation cave or lfill in at thebottom as indicatedat 45 in Fig. 3, the shoring device can be narrowedat the bottom as shown in broken line in .Fig. 3 to allow it .to assumean inverted ti-shape for easy removal. 1

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be variedwithin the scope of the appended claim, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

A shoring device for excavations comprising: two horizontally elongatedsubstantially vertical side plates; a

reinforcing tube secured to and extending horizontally and mediallyalong the inner face of each side plate; a

vertical stiffening member extending between the upper and lower edgesof and at each extremity of each side plate to resist bending of saidside plates in a vertical plane; a cover plate extending from the upperedge of each side plate downwardly and inwardly over the stiffena ingmembers and over the reinforcing tube to the lower edge of the sideplate; a sleeve mounted on each extremity of each reinforcing tube;telescoping members connecting the sleeves on one side plate to thesleeves of the other side plate; means for presetting said telescopingmembers at selected positions of extension; an upper hydraulicallyexpansible device extending from a stiffening member of one plate to astiffening member of the opposite plate above said reinforcing tubes andat each extremity of said shoring device; a lower hydraulicallyexpansible device extending between said latter stiffening members belowsaid reinforcing tubes; and means for independently actuating said upperand lower hydraulically-expansible devices to tilt said side platesabout the axes of said reinforcing tubes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS251,698 Coats Jan. .3, 1882 686,536 Rheubottom Nov. 12, 1901 2,796,738Moore June 25, 1957

